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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cold — not warm
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cold — an illness
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fall — the season
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com